South Korea Election Result Update: Exit Polls Give Lee Jae-myung Edge Over Kim Moon-soo In Presidential Race

South Korea Election Result 2025: Over 70% of South Koreans have voted in the polls to elect their new President.

South Korea Election Result 2025: Millions of South Koreans voted on Tuesday in a snap Presidential election in a bid to elect a new leader and end months of political instability. The polls come in the wake of six months of turmoil sparked by a shock martial law briefly imposed by former leader Yoon Suk Yeol. After being impeached by parliament in December, Yoon was officially removed from office by the Constitutional Court on April 4th. This happened less than three years into his planned five-year term. His removal led to a snap election, which will now reshape South Korea's political leaders and its foreign policies.

Over 70% of South Koreans have voted in the polls to elect their new President. The polls saw a tight contest between South Korean Democratic Party (DP) candidate Lee Jae-myung and People Power Party (PPP) candidate Kim Moon-soo. The exit polls have predicted a victory for Lee Jae-myung, as per broadcaster JTBC. As per the SBS television exit polls, Lee Jae-myung is leading with 51% votes while Kim Moon-soo got support from 39% of the voters.

Campaign Report

Yesterday, Lee of the DP, the campaign's front-runner, kicked off the last day of his campaign in Seoul's northern ward of Gangbuk before making stops in the neighbouring cities of Hanam, Seongnam and Gwangmyeong.

"Your vote can change history and protect our democracy," Lee said during a press conference in Seongnam, widely considered his political hometown, where he served two consecutive terms as Mayor from 2010 to 2018.

He emphasised his deep ties to the city, noting it was where he endured hardship and nurtured his dreams as a teenage factory worker and later made social change as a civic activist.

"I promise to shape the future of South Korea together with the people, starting from my political hometown of Seongnam," he added.

On the evening of former President Yoon Suk Yeol's surprise declaration of martial law on December 3, Lee and other lawmakers rushed to the National Assembly to lift the martial law, despite being blocked by the police.

Kim of the PPP started the day by visiting the Peace Park on the southern island of Jeju to pay tribute to the victims of the Jeju April 3 uprising. He then held campaign rallies in Busan, Daegu and Daejeon to shore up last-minute support.

In Busan, Kim apologised for Yoon's imposition of martial law and pledged to push forward bold reforms with the PPP, if elected.

He further expressed regret over failing to reach a candidacy merger with Lee Jun-seok of the minor conservative New Reform Party (NRP).

"Voting for Lee Jun-seok will only benefit Lee Jae-myung," he said, urging voters to support him instead.

The latest opinion poll on the election showed the DP's Lee in the lead at 49.2 per cent, followed by Kim of the PPP with 36.8 per cent. Lee Jun-seok came in third with 10.3 per cent support.